Newf-proofing your home?

[ShadieLady]

As I anticipate bringing home my first Newf, I'm beginning to wonder, how does everyone Newf-proof their home? I assume drool stains, does anyone do anything special to help combat this? Are dogs allowed in all areas of the home? How do you protect furniture? Carpets?
Any tips, tricks of the trade, etc. welcomed!

 

[sjpIV]

As of right now, Finn (who is 4 months old) is only allowed in the front of the house, where the kitchen, family and livinig rooms are located. We had a pet gate blocking the hallway down to the bedrooms. With the potty training, chewing, and other messes that comes with a new puppy we thought it best to eliminate certain areas from "accidents." Down the road when we can trust him better we may allow access to those rooms. But for now, its nice not worrying about the shedding and other stuff in those rooms. OH, and our carpet in our family room is toast, between our 16 months daughter and Finn, its dirty beyond cleaning. We are now looking to continue our Laminet into the Family room.

I have had to learn not to leave things out, like cloths, or food because Finn will take his chance when you are not looking.

SJP

 

[R Taft]

I am a fairly clean/tidy person, so owning newfs seemed a little silly. But I found it isn't really all that hard. We have no crates or gates and the dogs roam the whole house. This house is self build by us and it was with newfs in mind.No stairs. Hence no carpet, only large mats. the mats often get taken to the carwash in Spring to give them a cleaning blast on the back of our truck.
We have verandah's/porches at both sides of the house and back, which are screened. which is where the dogs hangout in Summer/fall/spring. we have doggy doors. So they go in and out as they please. Furniture is leather except for one chair. The other furniture is all timber. we do tend to have towels around for catching drool and just been in the pond dogs. You can never have too many . I think our only big mistake was having such a large pond in our yard. Because in Summer they like to go for a swim and come onto the verandah all nice and wet. But it seems to just dry off and not leave to much mess.
The non-leather chair needs to be vacuumed often, because the hair sticks to the sides of it. And sometimes it is amazing where the droll lands and how high. You have a plan of only cleaning your windows so many times a year and forget the rest, because it is not worth the stress. You have to make a conscious decision that you are happy with a certain amount of newf drool/dirt/hair. I fly through with my vacuum about every second day. And as i get older i seem to tolerate newf/dog mess better. For all they give in love, it seems a small price to pay..........Enjoy your dog. they are a precious gift, Ronnie

 

[Wash]

Newf Proof? If you figure this out let me know.

 

[gitchegumee]

Have you ever cracked open an egg and found a hair inside? Get ready for hair and drool EVERYWHERE. Drool is like glue when it dries to the wall. And dried drool always has a bunch of hair stuck in it.

We wake most mornings with a few Newfie hairs in our mouths.

But we wouldn't trade it for anything! Well, maybe for more Newfies

It is a good idea to limit access to certain parts of the house until the little one is able to better control his peeing and pooping. Carpeted floors are the best for the little ones (no slipping), but carpet is the hardest to clean.

Your counters (especially in the kitchen) will not be safe.

We agree with Wash. If you find a way to Newf Proof please let us all know.

 

[Erika]

hmmmmmmmm no matter how hard I try I cant newf/pyr proof the house.So I just clean like I have little kids and well hubby is one of them too:slap:.......maybe we should say how do you hubby proof your house ,lol..the newfs and Pyrs are a breeze:angel:

 

[Connie w Tuck]

Magic Eraser will be your friend. It is great on the walls. I have a baby gate so they can't go upstairs - especially when they are younger than 1 year. I have a portable baby gate so that I can block off sections but that is because I have 5 dogs. I have a baby gate in my office area and in my office is a futon - so if they are sick I can sleep on the futon and keep them near me - so I can hear if I have to get up for them. But then try to get husbands and kids to pick up shoes - good luck with that. I bet you Money Gilligan will be so good. You will be amazed and ready for another one - watch out for that 2nd one though! ha ha ha

 

[Ursa]

We have babygates that restrict ours to just the main area of the house - living room and kitchen - so we can easily supervise. They are just now being allowed into the back of the house occasionally. We also babygate off the stairs and the laundry room (that's where the cats' food and litter is).

We have two sets of crates. The daytime crates are set up in the dogs' room (yup - they have their own room) and the nighttime crates are set up in our room. They aren't really crated 24/7 like it sounds. Fargo just likes to sleep in a crate so we leave them up with the door open.

We NEVER EVER leave a bathroom door open. Toilet paper is apparently an irresistable treat for Newfs! Pretty soon we're going to either have to get an available/occupied sign for the guest bath or accept that someone is going to pee in our hall closet on accident!

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

Can't say we did much, but then he was over 2 when he moved here, so he was pastthe destructive stage. Snuffles doesn't bother anything really. We do cover the one couch Snuffles is allowed on with a mattress pad. Since we are all carpet pretty much, when he gets a treat that he will be messy/drooly with, he has to eat it on his couch. We did move some of the breakables from like the end tables. Occasionally Snuffles tail would wag and catch something.

Not sure how to prevent drool on the walls. If he shakes his head, oh well We do try to wipe Snuffles mouth right after eating and drinking, so we keep a towel handy.

 

[Charlie'sMom]

Magic eraser, dyson vacuum, leather furniture.

Charlie is allowed throughout the house, not on the couches, on the bed only when invited (not often). Magic erasers take care of drool on walls. Leather couches are easy to keep clean. I vacuum at least every second day. I removed all fragile decorative items that were placed lower than 36 inches high. In hindsight I would have secured bookcases to the walls, because he and the cat did tip one once and shattered several vases.

 

[ina/puusty]

Don't have to worry here.. ina n HB n Kesa

 

[jsully8]

These are some very handy points. I'll be sure to stock up on magic erasers. So far we were only thinking about getting baby gates to keep him out of the kitchen and upstairs. Anything for hardwood floors?? Our house is nothing but, we are looking at getting a small carpet for the living room; but that's it.

 

[Bojie]

I have just embraced the drool, and the hair. But as for safety! Get Bitter apple spray, and spray EVERYTHING. corners of coffee tables, rungs on the chairs which are super chewable, ALL ELECTRIC WIRES, Do it once a day at least. In the beginning, you should never let your pup out of your sight, it only takes a second for disaster to strike. Baby gates are great to designate specific areas. For wood floors, or slippery kitchen floors, you can get the big foam type floor puzzle pieces that you find in childrens day care or kindergarten classes, they all fit together, and make the floor totally puppy ready to ensure skid proof flooring and healthy joints. Something like this:http://www.softtiles.com/?gclid=CL7ph6yFx5gCFQwNGgodgE3s1A
Also have some towels that you don't care about, just to designate as dog towels for messes, drool etc.
One more thing, Natures miracle spray to clean up accidents in the house so they don't keep going in the same spot. It neutralizes odors. You should use this and not other cleaning aids, because they contain ammonia which mimics the smell of urine, and can make a pup want to mark on the same spot again.

 

[ShadieLady]

Thank you everyone! Had towels and baby gates on my list, and now I'm off to order magic eraser and bitter apple spray! Also, Meg, thanks for the link to the interlocking mats. I'm only in my apartment for 2.5 more months, then at home with the parents until I get married, but at the apartment half of it is tile, so I'm going to look into those, or lots of old rugs! Ma and Pa's house is mostly carpet!

R Taft, my fiance and I just built a home, and we've still got to put our porch/deck on it. Thanks for telling me how you have yours screened in for the pups, we talked and we're going to screen in half of it for the canines! Great idea. I'm having trouble visualizing the mats on your floors. Sounds like the perfect set up, you might have to send me pics!

And thanks Connie, I think he'll be a good boy too!
Also, everyone, I already know how messy the men are, in fact, seems like you can train the dog, the guys a different story!

 

[ardeagold]

Let's see...this is what we've done:

Tile the FR/Kitchen floor (easy to clean)

Have ALL leather furniture (easy to clean)

Got rid of all rugs....use the $5 blankets folded up in spots around the room. (Easier to clean)

Washable paint on the walls (much easier to clean)

For a while had only stone/slate tables...metal legs (non chewable), but now they're out of puppy stage...went back to wood.

Use Kuranda beds. ( Easy to move in and out, and easy to clean...plus last forever!)

Tore out all carpeting upstairs...now have Pergo floors (easy to clean)

Keep toilet lids down ... keeps fur, water and slime off the seat

Bought a Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal (easy to clean and cleans great)

Baby gates to keep them out of unwanted areas, but doors work better.

Made sure all fence gates have locks on them ... several types in fact. They're good escape artists

Fenced the ground UNDER the fence ... or they'd dig out

Put wire grate type things on two windows...the ones they want to jump out of (Mira did once...1st floor, thank heaven)

Have plenty of extra window screening handy...and the roller thingy to put the spine in with

Keep everything edible off counters, including books, mail, magazines, glasses, remotes, money....MONEY....!!!!

No dishes, pans, pots or utensils in sink after use. Wash right away or...else.

Bought lots of Mr Clean Magic Erasers ... but keep them under lock and key or they'll try to eat them (same goes for sponges)

Bought lots of non-chemical cleaners for toilets and to wipe up with

Bought lots of Old English Scratch Remover ... and stain if you have wood around

Kept lots of matching paint for touch ups

Should have bought stock in a towel company

Bought new washer and dryer to withstand all the towel and blanket cleaning I do

Bought SUV ... and now need a bigger one

Bought 48" crate

Bought Grooming Stuff

Bought big dog toys...love those Jolly Balls with ropes through them!

There's more....but I just can't remember now. LOL

 

[R Taft]

Thank you everyone! Had towels and baby gates on my list, and now I'm off to order magic eraser and bitter apple spray! Also, Meg, thanks for the link to the interlocking mats. I'm only in my apartment for 2.5 more months, then at home with the parents until I get married, but at the apartment half of it is tile, so I'm going to look into those, or lots of old rugs! Ma and Pa's house is mostly carpet!

R Taft, my fiance and I just built a home, and we've still got to put our porch/deck on it. Thanks for telling me how you have yours screened in for the pups, we talked and we're going to screen in half of it for the canines! Great idea. I'm having trouble visualizing the mats on your floors. Sounds like the perfect set up, you might have to send me pics!

Our mats are just 10'x8' imitation persian carpets (pure wool). We put them on the back of our truck's flat tray and take them to the high pressure do it yourself carwash one at the time. We then park next to our horse yards and hang them there to dry. you should see the looks you get when you wash your carpets in a public place :lol: But they come out pristine for only about $5.00 each. Our floors are either slate or painted/polished concrete. The slate is great, because it is non slippery and hides a multitude of sins
If i had my time again, I would not have the three sets of double french doors we have. they take the most of my designated window cleaning time.........Little squares. our other windows are large panes and you can sqeegy them so easily and quick. Hubby, Mike, is an ace at that job.
I am sure you will enjoy your dog. We surely have enjoyed all ours, Newf and non-newf........Ronnie

 

[ozzysma]

i have found it is like having a todler in the house, their tails when grown pretty much will knock anything off a table below the standard kitchen height. we just painted our place and installed laminate floors. i am in shock what we clean up off the floors and i am horrified that that was once in the carpet!!LOL! the paint that was on the walls was crappy, not washable, so if painting make sure you ask if it is extremely washable!! makes a big difference in cleaning them.

 

[zennewf]

\
One more thing, Natures miracle spray to clean up accidents in the house so they don't keep going in the same spot. It neutralizes odors. You should use this and not other cleaning aids, because they contain ammonia which mimics the smell of urine, and can make a pup want to mark on the same spot again.

I second this ... get "Nature's Miracle" or "Petastic" ... enzyme, non toxic, non perfumey dissolvers of organic stains. Get a gallon size to start. It makes poop/pee/vomit stains go away and you won't stress when there is an accident. Make sure you get either one of those brands, they really are better than the rest.

my fiance and I just built a home, and we've still got to put our porch/deck on it. Thanks for telling me how you have yours screened in for the pups, we talked and we're going to screen in half of it for the canines!!

Make sure you ask Ronnie (RTaft) exactly her lay out for the screened porch. I used to live in a country house with a fully screened (floor to ceiling screens with wood frame and wood roof) porch room. The floor was slate that extended into a verandah in the back. The floor (slate was excellent surface for the dogs)≥ . BUT the screens got all torn up every year and had to be replaced. Replacing it wasn't that hard, but if I were designing it from scratch I would have:
-1 had the doors to the outside (where the dogs will be leaning, standing up against, scratching to get out) instead of being screen, I'd have them be solid perhaps made of glass.
-2 make sure the screens are easy to pop out and re-screen. You will be doing this.

Liz

PS our house is already proofed for toddlers, so the newfies aren't much different except I never leave anything on a counter, stove or in the sink w/o realizing it might well be snatched and absconded away with!

 

[Pam G]

Thank you everyone!

R Taft, my fiance and I just built a home, and we've still got to put our porch/deck on it. Thanks for telling me how you have yours screened in for the pups, we talked and we're going to screen in half of it for the canines! Great idea.

Our last house had a screened in porch when we first moved in. I thought it would be great for the dogs. We only had the 2 goldens at the time. I was wrong:darn: We had to rip it all out within 2 months because the dogs kept going through it.:bah:

 

[The Doctor]

Newf proof ?? Is that an oxy-moron ??? :joker:

When we are gone, the two girls are corraled in the kitchen with a kiddie gate. Because Cindy and I have differing work schedules, they are only "on their own" for 3 hours at a time, or so. When I go home from the shop at 10:00 in the morning to feed them breakfast, Coda ALWAYS comes prancing out from the bedroom. She is apparently jumping the gate and going to find her favorite spot .... on the bed. I told Cindy that we either need to install cameras to document this or have a CSI intervention. :bandit:

Juno, on the other hand, is just happy to have her tail destroy anything and everything on, or around the kitchen table.

And, YES !!! I have cracked open an egg and found a Newf hair in it !!! I'm telling you ..... CSI. :icon_cool: